A review by poppygemini
Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle

funny informative medium-paced

3.5

The author's complete lack of empathy for the people living under a dictatorship is disconcerning, especially considering how proud he is of his own knowledge and understanding of the situation. He doesn't ever try to put himself in their shoes, he always acts in a superior way, refusing to aknowledge that his point of view is clearly privileged, and his local companions could not express themselves even if they knew how to do so. Nontheless, the book still manages to be an interesting look into a foreigner's life in North Korea. It is not analytic nor deep nor especially informative compared to actual studies, but its simplicity is captivating and it is able to show the grind of everyday life very effectively. All in all it is almost a "banality of evil" point of view into one of the most anachronistic and mysterious situations in the world.